Naweayisongi Isles
The Naweayisongi Isles are the cradle of Naruerinaki civilization. Given to them in legend by Songinahrongu the goddess of the ocean after they left their ancestral homeland lost now in myth. They journeyed many months on their canoes called wepua until finally Songinahrongu brought them to the sight of the future isles by leading the wepua by a school of dolphins. She then called for Tetekuti the great turtle spirit to be the largest island and tetekuti layed her eggs to be the rest of the islands. The islands which are inhabited are called *Tetekuti *Oehe weayi *Atama *Itototete These are split between two in the north and two in the south respectively. Northern Islands There are two islands in the northern half the island chain that humans inhabit Tetekuti Tetekuti is split between two tribes, the Swäkuaneo (red shark) and the Yenrìmata (angry face). Inhabiting the largest island in the Naweayisongi. At this time food is plentyful in the ocean and enough land exists for planting manioc, sweet potatoe and taro root. Competion between the two tribes exists but for reasons of ritual rather than over land or food. Oehe Weayi Oehe Weayi is unified under one tribe the Yueliponan (upon the cliff), named after their settlement upon the northern coast they have freedom over the whole island. As the name suggests the island is well known for its flowers and the people herer often dress themselves in garlands made from the fine blooms. Other Northern Islands *To the north of Tetekuti lies the Tyosusko the brothers. Upon the eastern most isle is Tatuskotsi, The island rises on a wide plateau covered with lush forest. The bones of warriors from the Swäkuaneo tribe are buried, as well as the bones of whales, in particular sperm whales who are seen as fierce and noble. Shamans come here when they need to speak to the spirits concerning the sacred act of hunting a whale or when a challenge by the Yenrìmata is issued. Eketusko is a barren rock, however there are plenty of seabirds that live there especially the masked booby which attracts hunters from Tetekuti *East of Tetekuti and Oehe weayi is Kwesmishwayunanki, the bird island. Frigates are plentiful here, the Naruerinaki use them on ships to help find land. Also found are gulls, albatrosses and various other sea birds. Inland there are abundant birds of paradise that are used in the rituals of Atama. Southern Islands As in the north there are two islands in the south that the Naruerinaki live on Atama There are three seperate tribes that live upon Atama, the Ngauzuruku, the tan and the Nchu. The three tribes have evolved a ritual to allow one tribes to choose mates from a differing tribe. One youth from each tribe is selected to collect the feathers of the birds of paradise from Kwesmishwayunanki, favoured are the tail feathers of the Astrapias, the quills of the Parotias and the plumages of the Sicklebills and Riflebirds. Each youth starts from the mountains in the centre of Atama and has to make his way naked and armed only with a obidian knive and axe to Kwesmishwayunanki. When the youth has succesfully collected enough feathers he is then required to make a crown from them and bring it back to Atama. A council made from the elders of the Wasizunkanan tribe then decide which crown is the most worthy. The tribe with the winning crown is then allowed to select mates from the other tribes. This is however selected by the women. The ceremony that follow is called Kwesmiwuki, the bird dance, the men from the two losing tribes who are eligible for marriage have the right to go into the forrest and hunt for birds of paradise to adorn themselves. Often the costumes are handed down from father to son with the son making any repairs or changes as he sees necessary. The men then gather together and perform dances in front the of women from the winning tribe. The best dressed and danced are chosen to be members of the winning tribe Itototete Upon Itototete there is one tribe that live under the volcano's gaze they are wasizunkanan. They worship the volcano as an incarnation of kuoyenrìmata and call it kuopom wintoy the voice of kuo. They build platforms upon the volcanos sides and regularly sacrifice members of the tribe to appease Kuoyenrîmata Other Southern Islands *South of Atama lies Nchuranshwayunanki the fish island, a place used as rest by fisherman. They claim that the patron of fishermen lives on the island and attracts the large number of fish to be found there. A platform is built on the island where they perform sacrificial ceremonies.